loft

1 of 2

noun

ˈlȯft 

1

: an upper room or floor : attic

2

a

: a gallery in a church or hall

b

: one of the upper floors of a warehouse or business building especially when not partitioned

living in a converted loft

c

: hayloft

3

a

: the backward slant of the face of a golf-club head

b

: the act of lofting

4

: the thickness of a fabric or insulating material (such as goose down)

loftlike

ˈlȯft-ˌlīk 

adjective

loft

2 of 2

verb

lofted; lofting; lofts

transitive verb

1

: to place, house, or store in a loft

2

: to propel through the air or into space

lofted a long hit to center

instruments lofted by a powerful rocket

3

: to lay out a full-sized working drawing of the lines and contours of (such as a ship's hull)

intransitive verb

1

: to propel a ball high into the air

2

: to rise high

Synonyms

Noun

• attic
• cockloft
• garret

Verb

• cast
• catapult
• chuck
• dash
• fire
• fling
• heave
• hurl
• hurtle
• launch
• lob
• peg
• pelt
• pitch
• sling
• throw
• toss

Examples of loft in a Sentence

Noun

The kids' bedroom has a loft.

He rents a converted loft.

Verb

He lofted a home run into the stands.

The explosion lofted dust high into the air.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The glassy downtown loft, with sweeping Hudson River views and a persistent mystery beep, feels all wrong from day one. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 14 May 2025

Each is designed to propel the ball a certain distance at a particular loft angle and height. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 May 2025

Verb

On that 27th launch, the rocket lofted 27 Starlink craft — a bit of synchronicity that doesn't seem coincidental given the number of payloads on Flight 28. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 May 2025

Pritchard slowed, paused and, using Robinson’s momentum against him, lofted a high-arcing fallaway jumper over the outstretched arms of both defenders as the horn sounded. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English, air, sky, from Old Norse lopt; akin to Old High German luft air

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1518, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing loft

• choir loft

Rhymes for loft

• coughed
• croft
• doffed
• oft
• scoffed
• soft
• toft
• waft
• aloft
• hayloft

Kids Definition

loft

1 of 2 noun

ˈlȯft 

1

: an upper room or floor : attic

2

a

: a gallery in a church or hall

organ loft

b

: an upper floor of a warehouse or business building when not partitioned

c

: hayloft

3

: the backward slant of the face of a golf-club head

loft

2 of 2 verb

1

: to place, house, or store in a loft

2

: to strike or throw a ball so that it rises high in the air

lofted a high fly to center field